Waiting For Him
by Kellifer
Summary: Even when he wasn't there, he bound them together. (JanJack friendship. Implied DanJan)


Title: Waiting for Him

Author: Kellifer

Email: (same for MSN addy)

Category: Angst

Rating: PG

Summary: Even when he's not there, he binds them together.

Disclaimer: DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters and  
places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret   
Productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment No monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the  
author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is  
coincidental and not intended by the author.

-Waiting for Him-

She was hovering in the doorway of his office, watching him pack, probably marveling at the neat efficiency. Daniel always had, considering his house usually looked like a bomb hit it. He hadn't been able to explain to Daniel how he needed to separate himself from the military life when he was at home and that distance wasn't always enough. Sometimes mess was the only way to do it. The empty Chinese cartons and beer bottles scattered across his dining room table symbolized freedom more than anything else could.

He let her hover, knowing she wanted to say something and that she was slowly working up to it. If he turned on her and asked her what was wrong, she would be embarrassed and probably make something up, rather than saying, or asking what she needed to.

As he rolled a spare shirt neatly he wondered if he would have known Janet Frasier so well if it hadn't been for Daniel. He was of course in the infirmary a lot more because of the wayward archeologist. He'd slept there more than he would have normally liked, but he wondered if Janet would have otherwise just been a faceless doctor terrorising him during physicals.

XxxxxxxX

_"Ow" Jack had grumped, hiking his pants back up over his abused backside. He hated needles and the only thing he hated more were needles in the ass. He rebuckled his belt and turned. Daniel was sitting on the infirmary bed opposite, still talking. Jack had tuned out a while ago and had completely lost the gist of what Daniel was saying, not that he had ever had the gist in the first place. Sam was in a curtained off area on the other side of him. She was allowed privacy when dropping her pants and he wondered why he wasn't afforded the same courtesy. _

_"I'm Doctor Frasier." A small woman in a white coat said briskly, retrieving a pen light from her pocket. She shined the light first in his right eye then his left. Jack squinted and rubbed his eyes when she was finished; trying to rid himself of the spots he was seeing. The new Doctor had turned to regard Daniel, who had actually been grazed by a staff blast to the shoulder and seemed oblivious to the fact. He had directed his rambling to Sam, who had reappeared. He was excited about a piece of pottery with writing on it they had found. Jack was mystified as to his enthusiasm._

_"Doctor Jackson, I need to dress your shoulder." _

_He only paused long enough in his discourse to say "Daniel". Sam was looking attentive but Jack could tell that even her interest was beginning to falter, and she could listen to Daniel longer than any of them. He then swung his gaze to the Doctor who was looking a little taken aback. Daniel finally wound down and turned back to the Doctor in front of him with an expectant look. "Janet." She said, looking surprised at herself. Daniel simply treated her to an easy smile and raised his good arm to clasp her hand. "Janet." He repeated, fixing the name in his mind. "You'll probably be seeing a lot of me so its best we get on a first name basis now." _

_Janet had chuckled before setting to work._

XxxxxxxX

"Honduras huh?" Janet finally spoke. Her tone was forced, as if she was trying to be flippant about the whole situation. As if Jack didn't know she was probably more scared for Daniel than he was, and that was saying something.

"Yep."

She raised a hand and there was a small black box in it. "I've got some antihistamines and a spare pair of his glasses." She said, offering the box. Jack grunted and rummaged around in his pack until he pulled free another pair of glasses. "I'm starting to think he doesn't lose them so much as we keep stealing them. How many do you have?" He finally looked at her and could see she was pale and there were dark circles under her eyes.

"These are from the infirmary. I have another pair in my locker."

Jack counted off on his fingers. "Truck, house and top drawer of my desk." Janet smiled, probably for the first time since they'd been told. "I'm glad its you." She said, her eyes dark. Jack didn't quite understand what she meant at first, but it clicked when she finally entered the room properly and lowered herself onto the chair opposite his desk. She was still looking worried, but there was also the gleam of hope in her eyes. "That way I know he's not going to accidentally be shot by one of the 'good guys'." Janet made little inverted commas out of her second and index fingers.

"Nope. I'll shoot him on purpose." Jack was treated to another tiny smile. It was tight though and he wondered if she felt she was betraying Daniel somehow by allowing herself to be amused. He looked down at the box she had brought. "I can't imagine Daniel being worried about his allergies what with all the - " Jack forcibly bit down on his tongue. He'd nearly said 'what with all the torture'. He saw Janet wince and knew he'd been too late in stopping himself.

Sam would have called him a dumbass and smacked him in the back of the head.

He would have deserved it.

"How many..." The words had been verging on a question but Janet trailed off into silence, presumably because she didn't really want to know the answer. Janet had reached out and was toying with the strap on his backpack. The edge of the strap she held was frayed and she pulled a thread free and wound it around one long finger. "Can you get him out?" She asked the question plainly and with no preamble. He could tell that she wanted to know the truth, not be comforted.

"I can." He said simply.

Janet rose and he was surprised when she rounded his desk and circled her arms around his neck. He had to bend at the waist to hug her properly. He marveled at her tiny frame and the rigid toughness it held within. She'd never smelled like a doctor and he thought it might be one of the reasons she was so... comfortable. Right now though there was the underlying scent of something else.

Coffee and old books.

Jack stepped back and brushed the collar of the faded sweatshirt she was wearing. It was huge on her and he realised it was Daniel's. Janet flushed scarlet. "He'd left it in the infirmary. I know its stupid but if I can smell him he doesn't seem so far away."

"Its not stupid at all." Jack said, smiling gently. He picked up his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. He squeezed her arm gently and moved passed her. "You're a good man Jack." Janet said from behind him.

Jack smiled but this time there was no warmth in it, none of his usual humor.

"Lucky for Daniel, I'm not." He said.


End file.
